1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technique to collect liquid not used for printing in a printing apparatus that performs printing by ejecting liquid onto a printing media.
2. Related Art
JP-A-2007-160871 describes a suction means that collects ink mist generated in an ink jet recording apparatus by using a suction fan. The suction means collects a gas which contains ink mist through a suction port that opens toward the interior of the apparatus by using a suction fan. Further, the suction means performs gas-liquid separation to separate ink from the collected gas, and then exhausts a clean gas from which ink has been removed to the outside of the apparatus.
Further, JP-A-2007-160871 describes that a filter is used to perform gas-liquid separation. Specifically, the filter is disposed between the suction port and the suction fan such that a gas is suctioned through the suction port and passes through the filter. In so doing, ink contained in the gas which passes through the filter is captured by the filter, thereby performing gas-liquid separation.
In a configuration to perform gas-liquid separation by using a filter, the liquid captured by the filter is gradually accumulated on the filter. This leads to filter clogging and decreases the efficiency of gas-liquid separation. Accordingly, the filter needs to be replaced as appropriate. However, such replacement of the filter may increase the burden of an operator.